Enter into
His gates with Thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise!

The truth is,
those of us who do music in the church have learned
a secret, which is that the music and anthems we do are FAR MORE A PART
OF OUR LIVES since we’ll practice it a number of weeks in advance.It is no longer just a “pretty decoration” to the service – it is an
outstandingly vital part of our personal worship of Almighty God.Martin Luther said that “He who sings prays
twice”, and I can vouch that there really is an extra element of being able to
pray without words and without ceasing that occurs when one is vitally
connected with God through music.And
here is the kicker – this can happen to ANYONE – not just those who are
“musically talented”.The number of
people who tell me they can’t sing drives me nuts, because they are missing
this extra deep special element that comes merely by participating.Rather thanbeing a nice, but forgettable part of the service,this music becomes part of the spirit and
mind that connect us to the Spirit and Mind of God.

We have had many choir members with severe health issues of
family members to contend with this Autumn.Why haven’t there been others to help take up the slack?In Isaiah Chapter 6, verse 8, we hear God’s
call:

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord
saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Our Christmas Cantata
this year is a simple, but fresh and nice work entitled “The Promise Fulfilled”
by the Ohio Methodist Musician John Carter.When I say it will be a blessing to take part, I know of what I speak!